UNBELIEVABLE: I want to stay and give the best, Bruins key man insists he won’t leave.
Since Samuel Montembeault has a new three-year contract that kicks in next season, I’ll say he will still be the No. 1 goalie three years from now. By that time, I figure Jacob Fowler will be the No. 2 goalie if he hasn’t already played well enough to be the No. 1. Fowler has had an incredible season as a freshman with Boston College, posting a 29-5-1 record with a 2.19 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage after being selected by the Canadiens in the third round (69th overall) of last year’s NHL Draft. Cayden Primeau has one season left on his contract to prove to Canadiens management that he can have a long-term future with the team. Primeau can become a restricted free agent after next season, so it will be interesting to see if the Canadiens look to re-sign him or trade him. Fowler’s performance next season — whether he returns to Boston College or joins the AHL’s Laval Rocket — will probably play a role in that decision. Four years from now, it wouldn’t be surprising if Fowler is the new No. 1 goalie.
I would say no chance. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Canadiens trade Savard during the off-season and I’d be shocked if they don’t trade him before the NHL deadline next season. Savard will turn 34 on Oct. 22 and will be heading into the final season of his contract with a salary-cap hit of US$3.5 million, after which he can become an unrestricted free agent. The Canadiens need to open spots on the blue line for young defencemen like David Reinbacher, Lane Hutson and Logan Mailloux and would also like to get something in return for Savard rather than lose him for nothing as a free agent. Having said that, the positive impact Savard has already had on the Canadiens’ young defencemen — including Kaiden Guhle and Arber Xhekaj — will be felt for a long time after he’s gone.
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Despite being idle on Thursday night, the Boston Bruins clinched a Stanley Cup Playoff berth for the eighth consecutive season.
The Montreal Canadiens aided the Bruins in their quest for the postseason by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 in regulation on Thursday night.
This marks the 77th postseason in franchise history. The last time the Bruins missed the playoffs was the 2016 season. Since 2017, the Bruins have won six rounds in the postseason, including three in 2019, when the club lost the Stanley Cup Finals to the St. Louis Blues.
The Bruins have won six titles in franchise history: 1929, 1939, 1941, 1970, 1972, and 2011. Boston has also appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals 20 times.
Brad Marchand is the only current Bruins player who won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011. He will make his 12th playoff appearance in 15 seasons.
While Ray Bourque leads the Bruins all-time in playoff points with 161, David Pastrnak and Marchand are tied with Patrice Bergeron for second place with 128. The duo can pull away from Bergeron and inch closer to the franchise record this postseason.
The Bruins’ overall record is 42-17-15. With 99 points, Boston holds a two-point lead over the Florida Panthers in the Atlantic Division.
The New York Rangers are the only other team in the Eastern Conference to clinch a Stanley Cup Playoffs berth.
Boston’s final regular season game is April 16 when the Black and Gold host the Ottawa Senators at TD Garden. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are slated to get underway on April 20.